George Michael attends press conference in London

05/11/11

George Michael attended a press conference at the Royal Opera House in London today where he announced he was returning to the stage in the company of a full orchestra for a 47-date tour of Europe this year.

He announced the tour this morning and said he felt "re-energised after my recent troubles". "I've always wanted to sing with this kind of backing so I could really, really use my voice and not just concentrate on keeping thousands and thousands of people really excited for two and a half hours," he also said. "I've probably got one more of those tours in me but right now I'd like to have something slightly different." George Michael said the tour would feature reinterpreted songs that are personal favourites of his.

'Symphonica: The Orchestral Tour' will begin in the Czech Republic on August 22 and end in England on December 12. The show has one more date at the Paris Opera on April 29 next year, which George Michael said would probably kick off a second leg touring other parts of the world.

In the gaps between the tour, George Michael said he would work on his new dance-themed album, gathering together a collective of gay artists.